European Boxing News: Chagaev, Valuev, Diaconu, Branco, De Martinus, Arslan, Ballone

By Per Ake Persson

Universum won today´s purse bids for WBA heavyweight champ Ruslan Chagaev´s mandatory defence against Nikolai Valuev with an offer for 4,354,840 USD. Sauerland Event bid 3,541,021 USD and Don King Productions 3,000,000 USD. Chagaev vs Valuev II is likely to go ahead in Germany May 31.

The undercard to Diaconu vs Henry April 19 in Bucharest is likely to feature Italian light heavy veteran and multiple ex-champ Silvio Branco. There will also be a NABA junior welter title defence by Jo Jo Dan against Argentinian Raul Balbi, who a few years back gave Leonard Dorin a very tough fight in Bucharest for the WBA lightweight title. Featherweight Viorel Simion faces Rudy Encarnacion for the WBC Mediterranean title and Bogdan Dinu, a talented amateur heavyweight, turns pro.

Estonian Sergey Melis and Latvian Oleg Fedotovs clash for the vacant BBU middleweight title March 22 in Tallinn, Estonia.

When Italian welter Cristian De Martinis was badly knocked out in June of last year against European champ Jackson Osei Bonsu, it looked like the career was over. De Martinis spent days in hospital and a got a six month suspension with a recommendation to quit boxing.

Cristian is however back and will fight March 25 in Budapest, reportedly with a Romanian license, against Janos Petrovics. The show also feature the comeback of Danish heavy Ingvardt Jorgensen, who returns after eight years out.

Bild Zeitung hinted recently that it will be Darnell Wilson that takes on WBA cruiser champ Firat Arslan May 3 in Stuttgart.

European bantam champ Carmelo Ballone defends the title May 9 in La Louviere, Belgium, against Valery Yanchy from Belarus, but fighting out of Spain. Yanchy is rather unknown but is a tall, awkward, quite capable fighter.

The undercard to Abraham vs Ayala March 29 in Kiel seems to be dedicated to the cruisers: Yoan Pablo Hernandez squares off against Wayne Braithwaite and talented Bosnian Enad Licina fights Kenneth Releford.

Former European welter champ Christian Bladt returns to action after a brief suspension April 4 in Aarhus. The show, promoted by Anders Vester, is headlined by welter Allan Vester taking on Hassan Saku over six rounds.

Opponent for WBO light heavy champ Zsolt Erdei April 26 in Dresden is American DeAndrey Abron.